Internal-combustion engine



Aug. 28, 1945. A. E. osBoRN 2,383,883

INTERNAL-consusmon ENGINE Filed July so, 1940 FIGA.

FIGA

Patented Aug. 28, v1945 UNITED STATES PATENT yOFFICE 2,383,883 INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE Alden E. Osborn. Mount Vernon, N. Y.

Application July 30, 1940, Serial No. 348,351

3 Claims.

'I'he object of myinvention is to provide, in a four cycle engine of either the spark ignition, surface ignitlon'or compression ignition type, improvements that reduce the number oi' parts, the weight and the cost, and increase the reliability and 'eiliciency. My invention also provides for superior cooling of the parts, thereby permitting the use of larger cylinders and valves than are usually practical. It relates particularly to irnprovements in and modifications oi an engine of the general type shown and described in my copending application, Serial No. 336.685, iiled May 23, 1940. It should be understood that my invention is shown in the accompanying drawing in a simplified form and that many of the parts required in an actual operating engine, but not essential to the illustration of my invention, have been omitted from the drawing. It should also be understood that, while my invention is only shown in the accompanying drawing as used with a single cylinder air-cooled type of engine, it is not limited to use with that type of engine alone and may be used with multiple cylinder engines of radial or in-line types with air or liquid cooling.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 represents a sectional side elevation oi an engine embodying oneiorm of my invention,

Figure 2 represents an enlarged diagrammatic view illustrating one form oi the valve operating cam shown in Figure l.

Figure 3 represents a partial sectional elevation of a modification of a portion of the valve mechanism illustrated in Figure l, and

Figure 4 is a view showing a modication of the operating cam of Figure 2.

In Figure l the engine is shown with its parts in the 'position they assume when the manual engine control is set for starting the engine and the piston is at the end of the suction stroke. In this figure IIi represents the engine cylinder, I4 the piston, I5 represents the cylinder head valve, I2 the external valve passage, t' the cam shaft which is rotated by the crankshaft l at one-half of the speed of the crank-shaft, 28 the valve operating cam, and 30 the fuel injection nozzle. The valve operating cam 2o acts on the cam follower I 9 and communicates its motion to the valve I thru the push rod I8 and rocker lever Il. The cylinder IB is provided with ports 2B at a point where they would be uncovered by the piston Il, when it is near the outer end of its stroke, which ports communicate, thru the passage 21, with the blower 22 that is rotated by the engine crankshaft. so that air or, if special requirements are to be met, combustible mixture can be forced under pressure thru the ports when the piston opens them. If spark ignition is used a spark plug l0 and timer I5, forming parts of the usual electric ignition system. are provided. 'Ihe fuel injection system comprises a fuel pump 32 provided with any means varying the amount of fuel injected into the cylinder thru the nozzle 3B, altho the means shown consists of a cam 35 on the shaft 6 and a lever Il connected to the manual engine controlling means in any suitable manner.

This engine, when operated with either compression or hot surface ignition, does not require the electric ignition parts and the fuel injection would be timed to take place near the end of the compression stroke or beginning of the combustion stroke, whereas with electric ignition, the pump would be arranged to inject fuel either during the suction or compression strokes. as the timing of the ignition would be regulated by the time at which the spark occurred. As thus described, the engine would be operaibie without the other special parts embodied in my invention and hereinafter described.

When operating without these additional parts and on the hot surface or compression ignition principle, the valve I5 opens on the combustion stroke before the piston Il has moved to a point where it opens the ports 2| in the cylinder I0, so that.asa considerable amount o! exhaust from the combustion would then escape, air can enter these cylinders when the ports from the blower 22 are opened and scavenge the remaining exhaust gases out of the cylinder thru this same valve I6. 'I'he valve I5 remains open during the suction stroke and closes at around bottom center so that, when the ports 26 are again opened, the air, which is forced in by the blower 22, would iirst aid in clearing the cylinder and thereafter would be added to that in the cylinder and serve to increase the compression in relation to the piston clearance and permit more fuel to be burned in the cylinder at each combustion stroke. As before stated, at' or near the top of the compression stroke the fuel injection would take place if the engine is oi the compression or hot surface ignition type and the combustion stroke would start a new cycle of operation. When operating with spark ignition the same cycle of operation is repeated, except that the fuel could be introduced on the suction or compression stroke.

A'I'he engine as thus described, contains the essential parts for its operation, but I have, in Figure 1, illustrated additional features that meet certain special requirements. One oi these te tures resides in lengthening cam 2B Vand providing several differently proportioned valve operating parts along its surface and arranging for the longitudinal movement of the cam so that these differently shaped valve operating parts can be brought into action against the cam follower i9. This longitudinal movement of the cam is shown in Figure l as provided for by having the shaft Y l longitudinally movable with its position controlled by the collar 23 and lever 24 and other connections to the manual engine control. 'I'he timing of the opening and/or closing of the valve while the engine is in operation thru the actuation oi this means for bringing the various parts of the cam into operation against the cam follower ID, makes it possible to control the engine hitherto described and having spark ignition, by regulating the closing oi' the valve so that, when the engine is to operate with small power output, the valve closes late in the compression stroke and only a small amount of air remains in the cylinder while. at the same time, the amount of fuel injected is reduced by the movement of the interconnected fuel pump cam 3l. When full power is required, the part oi' the cam giving the firstdescribed timing by which the valve is held open during the suction stroke and is allowed to close around bottom center, is brought into action and the amount or fuel pumped is increased.

Another feature of my invention that is shown in Figure l, which has for its object the lnsurance of easy starting and steady slow running under certain conditions, comprises a means for supplying combustible mixture to the engine to permit of its operation independently of the fuel injection. This feature comprises insertion into the inlet to the blower 22, of a valve vane 21 which can be turned by the lever Il so that either air or combustible mixture from the carburetor or mixture-producing device 34 is admitted to the blower 22. When this vane l1 is turned, as shown by the full lines, so that the mixture from the mixture-producing device 34 is admitted to the blower 22, the cam collar 3i would be moved by means of the rods 28 and 42 and levers 24 and 2| so that the fuel pump would not force fuel thru the nozzle 2B and the shaft collar 23 would be moved to cause a shorter lift part of the cam 20 (see Figure 2 at A-B) to contact with the valve follower Il. This shorter lift part of the cam 20 is so proportioned and positioned that the valve Ii would be opened somewhat earlier than normal on the combustion stroke and would close earlier in the suction stroke, thus, not only, letting the exhaust out of the cylinder before the cylinder port 2li opens, but also closing the valve Il early to cause a vacuum by the movement of the piston i4 in the cylinder lil during the suction stroke so that, when the port 28 opens, a mixture would be drawn into the cylinder thru a blower 22 from the mixture-producing device 24. Thus. the engine could operate on the combustibie mixture until it is desired to have it work with fuel injection when the lever 38 would be moved to turn the vane 31 to shut oil' the mixture device and admit air-to the -blower 22 and to. thru the connections 2l and 42 and levers 24 and 3|, move the fuel cam 2l and valve cam 20 to open the valve i5 during the combustion stroke and holds the same'open during the exhaust and suction strokes by bringing the longer lift part (C-D in Figure 2) o! the cam 2|) into action against the cam follower Il. It the speed and power control when running on fuel injection is by variable compression thru holding the valve II open for longer hij assasss or shorter periods on the compression stroke, the cam 20 could have an intermediate extension on the closing side as shown by the line E in Figure 4. With this form of cam the engine control, when in starting position, would cause the valve Il to close during the suction stroke when the vane 31 is in its throttling position, as shown, and would then move the vane 31 to giving full power on the mixture device after which the further movement of the control parts would bring the cam part E, shown by dotted lines, into action at the same time admitting air to the blower 22 and starting the fuel injection. When this dotted-line cam part is in full action and the cylinder valve IB held open for the maximum time on the compression stroke, the engine would start operation on fuel injection at low power output and. as more power is wanted, the control would be moved to bring the cam part C--D into action, allowing the valve to close earlier to increase the compression and thru the connections to the fuel cam. also increase the amount o'f fuel injected. Thus, the progressive movement of the engine control means starts the engine operation at low power on the combustible mixture and goes to full power on the combustible mixture and then to low power on full injection and, with a stili further movement of the control means, to full power on full injection.

It should be understood that many modifications can be made within the scope of the claims. For instance, in Figure 3, I have illustrated a modined arrangement of the valve Il and operating lever H as well as the outlet passages from the valve, which gives a particularly clear opening for the exhaust gases.

I claim: i

1. In a four cycle internal combustion engine, a cylinder, a piston in said cylinder, a valve in said cylinder, a port in said cylinder and adapted to be opened into said cylinder by said piston when said piston is in its outward position, a blower for forcing air thru said port, an inlet passage to said blower, a controllable valve in said passage. a combustible mixture-producing device communicating with said passage wh'en said controllable valve is in one position. and an air inlet communicating with said blower inlet passage when said controllable valve is in another position, controllable means for operating said cylinder valve adapted to open said valve during the combustion stroke of said piston before said piston reaches said port in said cylinder and to optionally close said valve at the desired time during the period between the beginning of the suction stroke and end of the compression stroke of said piston, controllable means for injecting fuel into said cylinder at properly timed intervals, means whereby said means for controlling the fuel injection is simultaneously regulated with the operation of said cylinder valve controlling means, and means whereby the movement of said controllable valve of said blower inlet to close the air admission to said blower inlet passage and to open said combustible mixture-producing device to said blower inlet passage, operates said fuel injection controlling means and said controlling means for said cylinder valve to cause said valve controlling means to move to allow the closing of said valve during the suction stroke of said piston whereby to produce a vacuum in said cylinder and draw a combustible charge from said device into said cylinder when said cylinder port is opened by said piston.

2. In a iour cycle internal combustion engine,

aseasss 3 said inlet passage, valve means selectively control- 1mg the ilow of combustible mixture from the combustible mixture-forming device to said blower inlet passage and air from said air inlet passage, and means for supplying fuel to said cylinder independently of said mixture from said device when said air is thus admitted.

3. In a four cycle internal combustion engine a cylinder, a piston in said cylinder, a valve in said cylinder, means for controlling the timing of said valve movement in relation to the piston move ment, a'port in said cylinder adapted to be opened into said cylinder by said piston when said piston is in its outward position, a blower for forcing air 5 into said port, an inlet passage for said blower.

a combustible mixture-producing device adapted to be put into communication with said blower inlet passage. and an air inlet also adapted to be put into communication with said blower inlet 10 passage, and controllable means whereby either combustible mixture trom said device or air entering said air inlet can be admitted to said blower inlet passage, connections between said controllable means and said valve timing control whereby i5 the length of the open period of said valve in relation to said piston movement is reduced when said controllable means is operated to admit air to said blower inlet passage, and means for suppiying iuel to said cylinder independently of mi 20 ture from said device when said air is admitted to said blower inlet passage. c

AIDER E. OSBORN.

CERTIFICATE oF CORRECTION.

'ParentV No. 2,585,885.

August 2a, 1915.

AIDER E. OSBORN.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent .requiring correction as follows: Page 5, fir-st column, lines il` and 5, claim 2, strike out the words "connected with";and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this lith day -of December, A. D. 1914.5.

Leslie Frazer (seal) First Assistant cmissicner of Patents.

aseasss 3 said inlet passage, valve means selectively control- 1mg the ilow of combustible mixture from the combustible mixture-forming device to said blower inlet passage and air from said air inlet passage, and means for supplying fuel to said cylinder independently of said mixture from said device when said air is thus admitted.

3. In a four cycle internal combustion engine a cylinder, a piston in said cylinder, a valve in said cylinder, means for controlling the timing of said valve movement in relation to the piston move ment, a'port in said cylinder adapted to be opened into said cylinder by said piston when said piston is in its outward position, a blower for forcing air 5 into said port, an inlet passage for said blower.

a combustible mixture-producing device adapted to be put into communication with said blower inlet passage. and an air inlet also adapted to be put into communication with said blower inlet 10 passage, and controllable means whereby either combustible mixture trom said device or air entering said air inlet can be admitted to said blower inlet passage, connections between said controllable means and said valve timing control whereby i5 the length of the open period of said valve in relation to said piston movement is reduced when said controllable means is operated to admit air to said blower inlet passage, and means for suppiying iuel to said cylinder independently of mi 20 ture from said device when said air is admitted to said blower inlet passage. c

AIDER E. OSBORN.

CERTIFICATE oF CORRECTION.

'ParentV No. 2,585,885.

August 2a, 1915.

AIDER E. OSBORN.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent .requiring correction as follows: Page 5, fir-st column, lines il` and 5, claim 2, strike out the words "connected with";and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this lith day -of December, A. D. 1914.5.

Leslie Frazer (seal) First Assistant cmissicner of Patents. 

